Formula 1 world champion Kimi Antonelli received a particularly special welcome home this week, with the 19-year-old and his family granted an audience with Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace in Rome on Friday.
Two weeks after securing the 2026 Driver’s title at the Mexico Grand Prix, Antonelli is enjoying the extraordinary attention that comes with ending more than seven decades of Italian frustration.
Indeed, his triumph marked the first time an Italian driver had conquered Formula 1 since Alberto Ascari in 1953, making him an instant national sporting hero.
The reception at the presidential palace offered a fitting tribute to that achievement, with Antonelli accompanied by his parents, Marco and Veronica, and sister Maggie.
The Mercedes driver arrived bearing a rather appropriate gift: one of his official racing helmets, presented to Mattarella with a personal dedication on the visor.
"To President Mattarella, with great admiration," Antonelli wrote.
From the cockpit to the presidential palace
The encounter also gave the young champion an opportunity to share something of the physical demands of competing at the pinnacle of motorsport, explaining to the president what drivers endure inside the cockpit during a Grand Prix.
"You lose roughly a couple of kilograms," he said. "We have the fireproof suit, which is also hot. We train to be as ready as we can and to be able to withstand the heat we experience when we drive. But then after the session you jump into a tub of cold water..."
Curious about whether the demands were comparable in the junior categories, Mattarella asked: "But was it like that in Formula 2 as well? And in karts?"
"In karts a little less so," Antonelli replied. "You are much more out in the open. In a single-seater you are enclosed.
“But in F2 the races last a little less and are less physical. In Formula 1 the race lasts an average of an hour and a half. But will you come and see some races next year? Maybe at Monza? It would be very nice to have you with us."
©Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana
The president responded warmly to the invitation, revealing that Antonelli's emergence had rekindled his own interest in the sport.
"I really hope so,” he said. “Now Formula 1 attracts me a lot! The last time was several years ago. It is always complicated, because my movements are complex... But this new situation greatly encourages me."
Read also:
The presidential audience was just one stop in an exceptionally busy homecoming for Italy's newest sporting sensation.
On Thursday, Antonelli had attended the Italian men's national football team's 3-1 victory over France at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, following a title celebration the previous day in San Marino, where he currently lives.
There is little time for the celebrations to settle, however. Antonelli is now heading back across the Atlantic, with Las Vegas next on the itinerary as the 2026 championship enters its final three rounds.
©Presidenza della Repubblica Italiana
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook
